14 The Nectar of Devotion

sdstra where Lord Siva says to Sati, “My dear Sati, if one is a very
fine philosopher, analyzing the different processes of knowledge, he
can achieve liberation from the material entanglement. By perfor-
mance of the ritualistic sacrifices recommended in the Vedas one can
be elevated to the platform of pious activities and thereby enjoy the
material comforts of life to the fullest extent. But all such endeavors
can hardly offer anyone devotional service to the Lord, not even if
one tries for it by such processes for many, many thousands of
births.”

In the Srimad-Bhdgavatam it is also confirmed by Prahlada Maharaj
that merely by personal efforts or by the instructions of higher
authorities one cannot attain to the stage of devotional service. One
must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee
who is completely freed from the contamination of material desires.

Inthe Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6th Chapter, 18th verse,
Narada also says to Yudhisthira, ‘“‘My dear King, it is Lord Krsna,
known as Mukunda, who is the eternal protector of the Pandavas
and the Yadus. He is also your spiritual master and instructor in
every respect. He is the only worshipable God for you. He is very
dear and affectionate, and He is the director of all your activities,
both individual and familial. And what’s more, He sometimes carries
out your orders as if He were your messenger! My dear King, how
very fortunate you are, because for others all these favors given to
you by the Supreme Lord would not even be dreamt of.” The pur-
port to this verse is that the Lord easily offers liberation, but He
rarely agrees to offer a soul devotional service because by devotional
service the Lord Himself becomes purchased by the devotee.

The Happiness of Becoming One with the Supreme

Srila Ripa Gosvami says that if brahmananda, or the happiness of
becoming one with the Supreme, is multiplied by one trillionfold,
still it cannot be compared with an atomic fraction of the happiness
derived from the ocean of devotional service.

In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya Prahlada Maharaj, while satisfying
